Fourteen years is a long time to wait for a local derby against Watford and Luton boss Nathan Jones understands its importance to Hatters fans, but says the old-fashioned intensity and ‘dark arts’ don’t exist in modern football.
The Welshman used the 1988 FA Cup Final where a crunching Vinny Jones tackle on Liverpool’s Steve McMahon set the tone for Wimbledon’s classic giant-killing.
It’s not that the ferocity of that tackle isn’t seen any more, it’s just that it’s usually followed by a red card from the referee, so the old motifs about fierce local derbies are still there for fans, but they play out in different ways.
Jones, who was a Luton player in 1995, said: “It’s a derby and a lot of things go out of the window, but I’m not sure derbies have the same edge that they used to have because football’s rules have changed.
“Swashbuckling tackles; if you look at the FA Cup Final between Liverpool and Wimbledon, if that was nowadays Wimbledon would be down to ten men after four minutes.
So, you can’t get away with what you did. There’s not that leeway given to the intensity and the physicality any more, it’s just not.
“That’s not to say that it takes away anything from it, but certain things that you were able to do before, tactically, or the dark arts, as they call it, you won’t be able to do these days, but it’s still a wonderful occasion.”
The trip to Vicarage Road rounds off a stellar week for Luton, which began with beating Wayne Rooney’s Derby County late on in the Championship and then performing so well with a much-changed side against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup, despite defeat.
But Saturday’s game is the one that all fans have been waiting for, not least because the intervening years have seen Luton drop to the depths of the non-league before rising back to where the club and supporters feel they at least belong, in the Championship.
Jones said: “The great thing is, that not too long ago, Watford were playing Premier League football and a game like this could only be envisaged in a cup. Now we’re on an even keel and that’s what we have to make sure we remember.
“We’re back at the same level now, so it shows how far we’ve come. Yes, this is a massive, massive game. It is so important for the fans, but these games are every week now and that’s what we have to remember, what we’ve achieved here, what the club has achieved.
“These are not now pie-in-the-sky games. This is a week in, week out thing for us. Although it adds more spice because of the derby, it’s three points up for grabs and it’ll be exactly the same three points in the league.”
Jones revealed that right back James Bree is doubtful for the weekend, with a knew problem, which could see Martin Cranie start for the third league game in a row, though Peter Kioso performed so promisingly on his full debut against Manchester United in midweek.
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